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Once Upon a Murdoch Christmas
Once Upon a Murdoch Christmas: The Spirit of Giving is the second stand-alone two-hour Christmas Special of the Murdoch Mysteries series. It airs on CBC on Monday, December 12, 2016. Summary Murdoch and Brackenreid find their jobs at risk as they investigate a series of brazen robberies targeting Toronto’s wealthiest businessmen just days before Christmas. A new superhero is in town using new inventions! It’s four days ‘til Christmas, and with no snow on the streets of Toronto, spirits are low until two bombastic businessmen barge into Station House No. 4 with a far-fetched story about a train robbery – a bandit is trying to steal Christmas! Murdoch is baffled but soon, more impossible robberies have him giving chase around the city. Crabtree is convinced the bandit is based on his latest fictional hero but Brackenreid dismisses this outlandish theory. Meanwhile, Constable Jackson forms a Station House No. 4 choir, but with only a few days to whip the singing constables into shape he begs Rebecca James for help. Julia Ogden finds herself mysteriously spirited away after a family of children who need her help mistake her for a storybook heroine. Story lines collide on Christmas Eve – and once again, Murdoch must find a way to pull off a Christmas miracle. Character Revelations * George has completed a new novel - a graphic one of his "Jumping Jack" stories. * A Christmas adventure involving the imagination of George Crabtree, his hero Jumpin' Jack "springs off the page into real life" and affects the entire city of Toronto. * William has fun creating 'A Christmas Mystery' for Julia: she will receive four small gifts in the same amount of days– a clue trail to what she will receive on Christmas day from him. Continuity * Station House No. 4 has its Christmas tree up with its signature constable hat atop it and Shelley the skeleton is ready for Christmas in the City Morgue. * No longer hating Christmas, Inspector Brackenreid wants to "''stuff some Christmas cheer" into the constables by putting Jackson in charge of forming a constable choir. * Constable Jackson plays his trumpet, the last time he was shown playing it was in [[Glory Days|''Glory Days]].'' Historical References * In keeping with the festive spirit, the special also includes a unique scripted integration with '''The Salvation Army, featuring the historic brand’s presence and message of giving written into the storyline. * Graphic novels are, simply defined, book-length comics. The oldest recognized comics originated with the 1828 publication Histoire de M. Vieux Bois by Swiss caricaturist Rodolphe Töpffer, first published in English translation in 1841 by London's Tilt & Bogue. ** George's " Superhuman man", alludes to Superman who leaps tall buildings in a single bound. * Eaton's department store founded in 1869. * Robin Hood is a heroic outlaw in English folklore who takes from the rich to give to the poor. * Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen was first published 21 December 1844 in New Fairy Tales. First Volume. Second Collection. 1845. The story centers on the struggle between good and evil as experienced by Gerda and her friend, Kay. * Tiny Tim's "God bless us, everyone!" from Dicken's A Christmas Carol. Trivia * Commissioned by CBC and produced by Shaftesbury. * The Christmas banquet was filmed at Casa Loma. Casa Loma has a restriction on open flames in the building thus the missing candles. * The special features actual employees and volunteers of The Salvation Army in various scenes. * MM writer Simon McNabb on this episode, "It focuses more heavily on Crabtree than last year’s special...This year he is really in the thick of what is, I think, an exciting and delightful adventure." * Allusion to Inspector Gadget is made by George; last time was in [[Tour de Murdoch|'''''Tour de Murdoch]]. * Higgins suggests the new title for George's book should be "Jumpin' Jack Flash": It is the title of the 1986 American spy comedy film with Whoopi Goldberg. The films' soundtrack includes two versions of the song "'''Jumpin' Jack Flash " '''the original by the Rolling Stones (1968), and a remake by Aretha Franklin heard over the end credits. ** Brackenreid says, "do they know it's Christmastime at all?" the name of the British ensemble song for Band Aid in 1984. Errors Cast Main Cast Yannick Bisson as Detective William Murdoch Hélène Joy as Dr. Julia Ogden Thomas Craig as Inspector Thomas Brackenreid Jonny Harris as Constable George Crabtree Recurring Cast Lachlan Murdoch as Constable Henry Higgins Mouna Traoré as Rebecca James Kristian Bruun as Constable Slugger Jackson Guest Cast Uncredited Cast Gallery Murdoch Christmas 1.PNG Murdoch Christmas 3.PNG Murdoch Christmas 5.PNG Murdoch Christmas 2.PNG Murdoch Christmas 4.PNG Murdoch Christmas 6.PNG Category:Christmas Special Category:Specials Category:Season Ten